TADIOS, LEONARD MASAYON Name: Leonard Masayon Tadios Rank/Branch: E5/US Army Unit: Advisor, Headquarters, MACV Date of Birth: 09 January 1934 Home City of Record: Lanai HI Date of Loss: 11 December 1964 Country of Loss: South Vietnam Loss Coordinates: 094435N 1053357E (WE620770) Status (in 1973): Killed in Captivity Category: 1 Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground Refno: 0047 Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing) Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998. REMARKS: 660318 DIC/BNR ON PRG LIST SYNOPSIS: SGT Leonard M. Tadios was a light weapons infantry advisor attached to Headquarters MACV. On December 11, 1964, he was with an ARVN unit operating about five miles southwest of Thanh Hoa in Phong Dinh Province, South Vietnam. [NOTE: Defense Department lists loss coordinates as Phong Dinh Province, or near the border of Chuong Thien Province, but US Army accounts state that Tadios was lost in An Xuyen Province, which is some 50 miles southwest.] The ARVN unit was ambushed by Viet Cong forces, and Tadios was captured and taken prisoner. For the next 18 months, Tadios was held in several POW camps throughout South Vietnam. For Americans captured in South Vietnam, daily life could be expected to be brutally difficult. Primarily, these men suffered from disease induced by an unfamiliar and inadequate diet - dysentery, edema, skin fungus and eczema. The inadequate diet coupled with inadequate medical care led to the deaths of many. Besides dietary problems, these POWs had other problems as well. They were moved regularly to avoid being in areas that would be detected by U.S. troops, and occasionally found themselves in the midst of U.S. bombing strikes. Supply lines to the camps were frequently cut off, and when they were, POWs and guards alike suffered. Unless they were able to remain in one location long enough to grow vegetable crops and tend small animals, their diet was limited to rice and what they could gather from the jungle. In addition to the primitive lifestyle imposed on these men, their Viet Cong guards could be particularly brutal in their treatment. For any minor infraction, including conversation with other POWs, the Americans were psychologically and physically tortured. American POWs brought back stories of having been buried to the neck; held for days in a cage with no protection from insects and the environment; having had water and food withheld; being shackled and beaten. The effects of starvation and torture frequently resulted in hallucinations and extreme disorientation. Men were reduced to animals, relying on the basic instinct of survival as their guide. Tadios was seen by several other Americans in POW camps, and several reported that he was in very bad shape, and they helped care for him. Tadios was sick and had stopped eating. One day he was removed from the camp and never returned. The POWs were told he was taken to a hospital and he died. At least one returnee stated that Tadios died of starvation. The Vietnamese informed the U.S. that Tadios died March 18, 1966. They have made no effort to return his remains. Since the war ended, and 591 Americans were released from prison camps in Vietnam, over 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Many officials, having reviewed this largely classified information have reluctantly concluded that hundreds of them are still alive in captivity today. ------------------------------------------- [kiet.txt 05/11/92] Senator John F. Kerry Senator Bob Smith Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510-6500 May 10, 1992 Dear Senators Kerry and Smith, We the undersigned former prisoners of war, captured in South Vietnam by communist forces, are concerned about two particular incidents which resulted in the 1964-65 "reprisal executions" of three American prisoners of war by the communist Central Committee for the National Liberation Front. On June 24, 1964, the National Liberation Front announced on Radio Hanoi that Army SGT Harold Bennett, 24, of Perryville, Arkansas was executed by his communist captors in reprisal after Viet Cong terrorist Tran Van Dong died before a South Vietnamese firing squad in Saigon. On Sunday, September 26, 1965, the Viet Cong guards of American prisoners of war, Lt. Nick Rowe, SFC Dan Pitzer, SFC Edward Johnson, and SGT Leonard Tadios gathered their four prisoners and insisted that the Americans listen that day to the National Liberation Front's "Liberation Radio." It was an English broadcast which announced the ten o'clock in the morning executions of their fellow prisoners of war Capt. Humbert Roque Versace, 28, of Norfork, Virginia, and SFC Kenneth M. Roraback, 33, of Baldwin, New York. The two American prisoners had earlier been ordered taken from their bamboo cages by their prison camp commandant, Nguyen Chi Cong, paraded through villages, forced to kneel and apologize publicly for their "crimes" before being shot in the back of their heads. "Liberation Radio" reported the executions were by "order of the High Command of the Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam" Tadios, who at that time was sick and had stopped eating, was later removed from the camp. He has never been seen or heard from again. Pitzer, a signer of this letter, and Johnson were released and Rowe escaped. The officially ordered "reprisal executions" of Versace, Roraback, and Bennett, which were declared by the Johnson State Department an "act of wanton murder" in violation of the Geneva convention and reported in the attached October 11, 1965 issue of Newsweek, involved present senior members of the Vietnamese government. These members are: Vo Van Kiet, the current prime minister of Vietnam and former deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front; Col. Gen. Tran Van Tra, currently the vice chairman of the Vietnam's Veterans Association and the former chairman of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front; Nguyen Huu Tho, currently the chairman of Vietnam's Fatherland Front and former member of the Central Committee for the National Liberation Front; Ma Chi Tho, currently a senior member of the Vietnam government and former member of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front. These ranking officials ordered the "reprisal executions" and they know exactly where the remains of Versace, Roraback, and Bennett are buried. They also know exactly where Tadios and ALL other Americans who died in captivity are buried. Despite pledges of cooperation from both the U.S. government and Vietnam, the remains of these prisoners have not been returned by Hanoi. Various U.S. officials have met with Kiet who has pledged Vietnam's full cooperation in solving the POW/MIA issue in exchange for President Bush lifting the trade embargo against Vietnam. Kiet has not ordered that the remains of the U.S. prisoners the Central Committee ordered executed be turned over and we fear that unless demands are made prior to lifting the trade embargo, the remains of Versace, Roraback, Bennett, and Tadios may never be returned home to their families. We are asking the Senate Select Committee to ask prime minister Kiet to turn over to the Select Committee the records of the executions and the remains of these three prisoners of war. Will you urge President Bush to suspend the current plans for lifting the trade embargo and normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam until the remains Versace, Roraback, Bennett, and all American prisoners of war who died in captivity are recovered? Sincerely, Larry Stark 301-229-6515 Dan Pitzer 919-423-1394 Jose J. Anzaldua 919-346-9631 --------------------------------------- [310410Z.OH 05/22/96] ORIGIN CJTF2 INFO DCM POL SA DAO PY/MIA EXA DALO INHB (9) VZCZC RR RUHOHQE RUMTFS RUEHPF RUEKJCS RUEKJCS RUHQHQB RUEKJCS RUESJCS RUEAIIA RUHVAAA RUEADWW RUEHC DF RUEHBK #2797/01 090 ** ZNR UUUUU CLASS: UNCLASSIFIED R 310410Z MAR 93 CHRGE: CTTF 03/31/93 FM CJTF-FA DET ONE BANGKOK TH APPRV: CJTF:GFB TO RUHQHQE / CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI DRFTD: CJTF:GEB INFO RUMTFS / AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE//CJTF-FA DET THREE// :NONE BUENPP / USMISSION PHNOM PENH//CJTEFA DET FOUR// DISTR: CJTF RUEKJCS / JOINT STAFF WASHDC//OCJCS-PW-MIA/J5// ORGIN: OCR RUEKJCS / SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-MIA// RUHQHQB / USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J3// RUEKJCS / USCINCPAC LO WASHDC// RUEKJCS / DIA WASHDC//POW-MIA// RUEAIIA / CIA WASHDC//DEA/SEA/IB/DDO/lCOG// RUHVAAA / CDRUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI// RUEADWW / NSC WASHDC RUEHC / SECSTATE WASHDC//CA/OCS/CCS/EAP// BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BANGKOK TR 12797 UNCLASSIFIED 0130 MAR 93 DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE SUBJ: SRV ORAL HISTORY SR CPT NGUYEN CHI CONG REF: DET 1, JTF-FA MSG 230355Z MAR 93 1. REF WAS THE SUMMARY REPORT OF ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED IN VIETNAM BY JTFFA SPECIAL ASSISTANT, MR G.E. BELL, DURING THE PERIOD 3 TO 19 MARCH 1993. PARA 2.A OF REF PERTAINS T0 SR CPT NGUYEN CHI CONG. THE FOLLOWING REPORT PROVIDES THE DETAILS OF THE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED WITH SR CPT CONG. 2. SR CPT NGUYEN CHI CONG WAS INTERVIEWED IN RACH GIA CITY, KIEN GIANG PROVINCE ON 5 MARCH 1993. THE INTERVIEW WAS MONITORED BY ASSIGNED COUNTERPART AND MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (MND) REP, LTC PHAM TEO, AND MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR (MOI) REP, MR NGUYEN THE CONG. REPRESENTING THE KIEN GIANG PROVINCE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE WERE VICE-CHAIRMAN MR TRAN LAM CHIEF OF STAFF, MR THAI DANG THANG, AND MIA SPECIALISTS, MR BUR QUANG LEN AND MR THAN MINH CHIEN. 5. SOURCE, A 70 TEAR OLD NATIVE OF PHONG DINH, JOINED THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION TO FIGHT AGAINST THE FRENCH WHEN JAPANESE FORCES WITHDREW FROM VIETNAM AFTER WORLD WAR 11. ACCORDING TO SOURCE, AFTER THE GENEVA AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED IN 1954, HE REMAINED AT HOME IN PHONG DINH AND EARNED HIS LIVING AS A FARMER. SOMETIME DURING 1963, SOURCE WAS CONTACTED BY MEMBERS OF THE REGION COMMITTEE FOR MILITARY REGION NINE AND TASKED TO CONSTRUCT AND MANAGE A PRISON CAMP FOR FOREIGN POW'S. AT THAT TIME SOURCE WAS INFORMED THAT HIS POSITION WOULD BE THAT OF 1/4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FADETONEBA 012797/01 CAMP COMMANDER. 4. SOURCE CONSTRUCTED THE CAMP IN A MANGROVE FOREST LOCATED IN THE U MINH HA (I.E. LOWER U MINH) IN THE AREA OF BIEN BACH VILLAGE (NOTE: WARTIME US MAPS DO NOT DEPICT BIEN BACH VILLAGE, BUT DO SHOW A TAN BANK VILLAGE AT THE SAME LOCATION REFERRED TO BY SOURCE VIC VR 997539), KIEN AN DISTRICT, KIEN GIANG PROVINCE. (NOTE: AFTER REUNIFICATION IN 1976 THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARY FOR THIS AREA WAS CHANGED AND THE PRESENT DESIGNATION FOR THE FORMER CAMP LOCATION IS U MINH DISTRICT, MINH HAI PROVINCE SOURCE RECALLED THAT THE INITIAL CAMP LOCATION WAS NEAR THE JUNCTION OF CANAL NUMBER 21 AND TRI SONG CAI LON RIVER (VR 999534). SOURCE SAID THE CAMP WAS DESIGNATED TG36 (I.E. TRAI GIAM 36), AND WAS SUBORDINATE TO THE ENEMY PROSELYTING SECTION, POLITICAL DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY REGION NINE (CUC CHINH TRI QUAN KHU CHIN). SOURCE HEARD THAT ANOTHER CAMP LOCATED IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA WAS DESIGNATED TG35 AND SUBORDINATE TO THE MILITARY PROSELYTING SECTION, POLITICAL DEPARTMENT, MR9. SOURCE HEARD CAMP TG35 HELD ONLY ARVN/GVN POW'S. 5. SOURCE RECALLED THAT THE FIRST TWO AMERICAN POW'S WERE MOVED INTO THE CAMP SOMETIME DURING 1964. HE RECALLED THEIR NAMES AS ROWE AND PITZER (REFNOS 0022-0-01 AND 0022-0-01). ROWE AND PITZER WERE BOTH CAUCASIANS WHO WERE CAPTURED IN THE AREA OF CA MAU. SOURCE RECALLED THAT ROWE WAS AN ENGINEER, BUT COULD NOT RECALL THE BRANCH OFOF SERVICE FOR PITZER. SHORTLY! AFTER ROWE AND PITZER ARRIVED IN THE CAMP, ANOTHER CAUCASIAN AMERICAN POW CALLED VERSACE (REFNO 0021-0-01) WAS MOVED THERE. OTHER AMERICANS WHO ARRIVED LATER INCLUDED JOHNSON (REFNO 0033), TADIOS (REFNO 0047), PARKS (REFNO 0042), WALKER (REFNO 0086), JACKSON (REFNO 0384), AND A BLACK AMERICAN POW CALLED "ROBAT" (SOURCE'S PRONUNCIATION WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ROBERT AND ROBART). SOURCE WAS NOT ABLE TO RECALL ANY DETAILS CONCERNING THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MAN CALLED "ROBAT", BUT DID VAGUELY RECALL THAT HE WAS INITIALLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN TRI VINH AND LATER MOVED TO THE MR9 CAMP. 6. THE FIRST AMERICAN TO BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL WAS CPT VERSACE. SOURCE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MILITARY REGION COMMITTEE (KHU UY) TO TRANSFER CPT VERSACE TO THEIR CUSTODY. SOURCE LAST SAW CPT VERSACE WHEN HE WAS TAKEN FROM THE CAMP BT MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY PROSELYTING 1/4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FADETONEBA 012797/01 UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 BANGKOK 12797 SECTION. ALTHOUGH SOURCE DID NOT SEE CPT VERSACE AGAIN, HE LATER HEARD THAT HE DIED DUE TO ILLNESS. SOURCE DID NOT HEAR ABOUT THE BURIAL LOCATION. SOURCE SPECULATED THAT CPT VERSACE WAS BURIED IN THE AREA OF BIEN BACH VILLAGE, BECAUSE IT CONTAINED THE ONLY SOLID GROUND IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THE NEXT TWO AMERICANS TO DIE DUE TO ILLNESS WERE CPT WALKER AND THE BLACK MAN CALLED "ROBAT". BOTH MEN WERE BURRED IN AN EARTHEN FISH TRAP, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED BY FORMING A CIRCULAR EARTHEN DAM WITH A LOW SPOT IN THE CENTER FOR TRAPPING, FISH AT LOW TIDE. SOURCE RECALLED THAT CPT WALKER WAS BURIED IN THE DAM AT THE FRONT OF THE FISH TRAP, AND "ROBAT" WAS BURIED IN THE DAM AT THE REAR OF THE TRAP. SOURCE SAID HE PERSONNALY BURIED BOTH BODIES. SOURCE RECALLED THAT THE GRAVES DUG AT THE TIME WERE APPROXIMATELY ONE AND ONE-HALF METERS DEEP. SOURCE DID NOT RECALL ANY MARKERS PLACED ON THE GRAVES. SOURCE DID NOT RECALL ANT PERSONAL EFFECTS OR METAL OBJECTS (I.E. ANYTHING METAL TO BE DETECTED BY GROUND PROBE OR METAL DETECTOR). SOURCE WAS ASSISTED BY A STAFF MEMBER NAMED THAI VAN QUAN (QUAAN), WHO LATER DIED. 7. WE TO ENEMY ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF TG36 CAMP, THE CAMP WAS MOVED FROM CANAL 21 TO CANAL 26 (VR 957567) . AFTER ARRIVAL IN THE NEW CAMP, ANOTHER BLACK AMERICAN POW (NOTE: POSSIBLY SGT PARKS, REFNO 0048) ALSO DIED. SOURCE COULD NOT RECALL ANY DETAILS CONCERNING THE BURIAL. SOURCE ALSO RECALLED THAT DURING THE TIME THE CAMP WAS LOCATED ON CANAL 26, SEVERAL PRISONERS INCLUDING LLT ROWE AND AN ARVN POW NAMED "RAO", MANAGED TO ESCAPE FROM THE CAMP. AIRCRAFT CAME TO THA AREA AND A JOINT US/ARVN FORCE LED BY MAJ SMITH AND MAJ RUNG ATTACKED ON THE GROUND, SEARCHING FOR THE POW CAMP. DUE TO ENEMY ACTIVITY THE CAMP WAS MOVED TO CANAL NUMBER 11 IN THE AREA BETWEEN BIEN BACH VILLAGE AND AN BIEN VILLAGE (VR 0077) IN AN MINH DISTRICT. (NOTE: CANAL NUMBER 11 IS NOT DEPICTED ON AVAILABLE SHEET 5928 SERIES L607, BUT BASED ON THE LOCATIONS OF CANALS 9 AND 10, A POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR THE AREA REFERRED TO BY SOURCE IS VR 9275). SOURCE RECALLED THAT SOMETIME DURING 1970 OR 1971, A US NAVY SHIP FIRED INTO THE CAMP KILLING SEVERAL GUARDS. ALSO DURING, THIS SAME TIME FRAME, SGT TADIOS (REFNO 0047) ALSO DIED AND WAS BURIED NEAR THE CAMP. SOURCE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE BURIAL OF SGT TADIOS, AND THEREFORE, WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE GRAVE. SOURCE RECALLED THAT A CADRE, AND SOURCE'S OWN SON, WHO SERVED AS THE LEADER OF THE PLATOON SIZED GUARD FORCE, CONDUCTED THE ACTUAL BURIAL. SOURCE'S SON, HAI (2) THANH, WAS SUPERVISED BY MUOI (10 ) THANH, THE DEPUTY CAMP COMMANDER. SOURCE ONLY HEARD FROM HIS SON THAT SGT TADIOS WAS BURIED ON SOLID GROUND, ALONG SIDE A TRAIL NEAR THE CAMP. SOURCE RECALLED THAT SGT TADIOS ALMOST MANAGED TO REACH SAFETY ON ONE OCCASION WHEN HE ESCAPED FROM THE CAMP, BUT HE WAS RECAPTURED BY GUARDS ONLY A FEW HOURS AFTER HIS ESCAPE. E. CONCERNING US PERSONNEL WHO WERE RELEASED FROM THE CAMP, SOURCE COULD ONLY RECALL THAT SFC JOHNSON (0033) WAS MOVED FROM THE CAMP TO CAMBODIA. SOURCE LATER HEARD HE WAS RELEASED TO THE US. SOURCE VAGUELY RECALLED THAT SSG 2/4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FA FADETONEBA 012797/02 JACKSON (REFNO 0384) WAS ALSO MOVED TO CAMBODIA WHERE HE TOO WAS RELEASED. SOURCE ALSO RECALLED THAT MSG PITZER (REFNO 0022) WAS RELEASED BUT COULD NOT RECALL ANY DETAILS. 9. CONCERNING THE BURIAL LOCATIONS OF US PERSONNEL WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY, SOURCE SAID HE BELIEVES HE CAN STILL LOCATE THE GENERAL AREA OF THE GRAVES OF THE MAN CALLED "ROBAT" AND CPT WALKER. SOURCE SAID THAT SINCE TRAVEL WOULD BE PRIMARILY BY BOAT, AND HIS HEALTH PERMITTING HE CAN GUIDE A US TEAM TO THE SITE. SOURCE SAID HIS SON HAI THANH IS IN EXCELLENT HEALTH AND WILL BE READY TO ACCOMPANY THE TEAM. SOURCE SAID BE HAS NOT HAD RECENT CONTACT WITH THE FORMER DEPUTY CAMP COMMANDER MUOI THINH, BUT PROVINCE COMMITTEE OFFICIALS PRESENT SAID THEY HAVE MET WITH HIM IN CAN THO, AND THEY BELIEVE HE CAN ALSO BE LOCATED TO ACCOMPANY JOINT TEAM TO THE SITES. SOURCE SAID THE PRESENCE OF BOTH HAI THANR AND MUOI THANH WILL BE CRUCIAL TO LOCATING THE GRAVES OF SGT PARKS AND SSG TADIOS AT THE FORMER CAMP SITES AT CANALS 26 AND 11. SHORTLY AFTER VISITING THE BIEN BACH AREA ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, 2/4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FADETONEBA 012797/02 SOURCE HEARD THAT THE OFFICIALS OF MINN HAI PROVINCE RECOVERED THE REMAINS OF ONE BLACK US POW, AFTER A SECOND ATTEMPT AT EXCAVATION. SOURCE DID NOT HEAR ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS CONCERNING THE CAMP LOCATION OR IDENTITY OF THE US POW WHOSE REMAINS WERE REPORTEDLY RECOVERED. KIEN GIANG PROVINCE OFFICIALS SAID THEY ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT AN EFFORT TO RECOVER THE REMAINS OF THE AMERICANS WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY, BUT IF THE US SIDE PREFERS, THEY CAN COORDINATE THE RECOVERY EFFORT WITH THE MINH HAI PROVINCE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, SINCE THE FORMER CAMP SITES ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED WITHIN THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARY. SA INFORMED THE LOCAL OFFICIALS THAT HE WILL REPORT THE INFORMATION TO HIS SUPERIORS TO ENABLE THEM TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION WITH THE VIETNAMESE OFFICE. FOR SEEKING MISSING PERSONNEL (VNOSMP) AND DETERMINE THE BEST COURSE OF FUTURE ACTION CONCERNING THE REMAINS OF CPT VERSACE, SOURCE SAID HE HAS NOT ABLE TO RECALL THE NAME OF A POTENTIAL WITNESS TO ASSIST IN LOCATING THE BURIAL SITE. ASSIGNED COUNTERPART, LTC PHAM TEO, INDICATED HE WILL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE FORMER MEMBERS OF THE REGION 9 COMMITTEE TO OBTAIN THE IDENTITY AND CURRENT WHEREABOUTS OF A WITNESS. 10. WHEN ASKED CONCERNING HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS INVOLVING US PERSONNEL, SOURCE SAID HE RECALLED THAT SOMETIME DURING THE WAR YEARS IN KlEN GIANG PROVINCE, LOCAL RESIDENTS DISCOVERED THE REMAINS OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER. SOURCE SAID HE COULD NOT RECALL ANY DETAILS, BUT RECALLED RECALLED THAT THE VILLAGERS TURNED THE REMAINS IN TO US FORCES AND WERE REWARDED WITH AN ELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR FOR THEIR VILLAGE. SOURCE SAID HE RECALLED ONE OTHER INCIDENT WHERE LOCAL RESIDENTS DISCOVERED THE REMAINS OF AN AMERICAN PILOT WHOSE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN BEN THE DURING 1967. HE SAID LOCALS FOUND THE REMAINS WHILE EXCAVATING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW HOUSE. SOURCE SAID THE VILLAGERS WERE CONTACTED BY OFFICIALS FROM THE PROVINCE WHO CAME TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THE REMAINS. (NOTE: SA CONFERRED WITH COUNTERPART, LTC TEO, REGARDING THESE REMAINS AND DETERMINED THAT THE REMAINS REFERRED TO BY SOURCE HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPATRIATED T0 THE US; REFNO 0545, HYDE, MICHAEL L.). SOURCE IS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER INCIDENTS INVOLVING US PERSONNEL. SOURCE HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY US PERSONNEL REMAINING IN VIETNAM. I. COMMENTS: A. SOURCE WAS COOPERATIVE AND GENERALLY PROVIDED HIS INFORMATION IN A STRAIGHT FORWARD MANNER. SOURCE DID HOWEVER, POLITELY DEFLECT QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE IDENTITIES OF CADRE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED TO THE REGION 3 COMMITTEE AND THE GENERAL COMPOSITION OF MILITARY REGION 9, SA GAINED THE IMPRESSION THAT SOURCE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ONLY THE IDENTITIES OF THE CADRE REPORTED ABOVE. SA WAS CAUTIONED BY THE PROVINCE VICE- CHAIRMAN IN ADVANCE THAT SOURCE WAS IN POOR HEALTH AND COULD NOT UNDERGO LONG INTERVIEW SESSIONS. SOURCE ADVISED THAT HE SUFFERS PROM HYPERTENSION AND SOURCE CONSUMED A VARIETY OF MEDICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. DURING A MID- DAY BREAK SA INVITED EVERYONE PRESENT TO LUNCH, BUT THE 3/4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FADETONERA 012797/03 4 UNCLASSIFIED CJTF-FADETONEBA 012797/03 VICE-CHAIRMAN ADVISED SOURCE BE SHOULD NOT ATTEND DUE TO HIS HEALTH CONDITION. B. OFFICIALS OF THE PROVINCE COMMITTEE WERE VERY COOPERATIVE AND INDICATED THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RAPID RESOLUTION OF THE MIA ISSUE. THE VICE-CFAIRMAN SAID THAT IN HIS OPINION, THE US SIDE SHOULD CONSIDER THE MATTER RESOLVED IN THE CONTEXT OF REMAINING BILATERAL ISSUES CURRENTLY BLOCKING A NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. THE VICE-CHAIRMAN SAID THE TWO SIDES CAN CONTINUE T0 RESOLVE THE CASES OF AMERICANS STILL NOT ACCOUNTED FOR ON A ROUTINE BASIS. LTC TEO ADDED HIS OBSERVATION MADE DURING A SIGHT-SEEING TRIP TO PEARL HARBOR THAT OVER 2000 US PERSONNEL ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR IN PEARL HARBOR, WHICH IS LOCATED ONLY A FEW KILOMETERS FROM THE HQ OF THE JTF-FA. THE VICE-CHAIRMAN ASKED SA TO PASS ON THE APPRECIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF KIEN GIANG TO THE USG FOR A USG SPONSORED HEALTH PROJECT RECENTLY INITIATED IN THEIR PROVINCE. HE SAID SUCH PROJECTS WILL PLAY A LARGE PART IN HEALING THE WOUNDS OF WAR. LOCAL OFFICIALS INDICATED THEY WERE PLEASED TO HAVE UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 BANGKOK TH 12797 A US OFFICIAL VISIT THEIR PROVINCE AND OFFERED THEIR ASSISTANCE FOB ANY FUTURE EFFORTS IN THEIR PROVINCE. BT #2797 NNNN 4/4 UNCLASSIFIEDCJTF-FADETONEBA 012797/04